Today's Bible Reading

Sundays, 9:00 a.m. , Vestry Room
This weekly class looks at the historical and theological underpinnings of the day's Scripture readings.

Inside the Episcopal Mind

Our theology is an art form, not a law book.
We belong before we believe.
We do not give simple answers to complex questions.

Sundays, January 22 & 29, February 5, 11:30 a.m., Forum Room
Inside the Episcopal Mind will be a three-part audio-visual excursion into the Episcopal mind and spirit. This class, led by Canon Joanna Leiserson, is for newcomers, inquirers and persons preparing for baptism, confirmation or reception at the Easter Vigil. It is also for anyone who wants an entertaining look at how and why we do church the way we do. Send a flyer to a friend.

Schedule
January 22 - "Praise the Lord!" Episcopal-Style: Does God really like all that ritual?
January 29 - Can you believe everything you want and be an Episcopalian?
We're not as wishy-washy as you may think.
February 5- How to get saved in the Episcopal Church: Love and service. We'll show you how

A newcomer's brunch on Sunday, February 12, at 11:30 a.m. in the Chapel Lower Level will follow this series. For reservations, contact Kathy Noe.

A note about Confirmation: If you want to be confirmed or received, you must take this class in addition to the four- session confirmation class beginning in March. (See below.)

The Poor, the City & the Church

Wednesday, February 8, 7:00 p.m.
This two-part program on poverty, and its sister scourge, homelessness, begins with a screening of the film, Ain't I a Person. Filmmaker Keith M. Kilty will be there for the presentation, a Cincinnati premiere, which will take place in the undercroft.

"During the past quarter century, a myth has developed that poor people are lazy and that providing them with government assistance leads to dependency and a lack of personal responsibility. The reality is very different," says the filmmaker. His goal in producing the film was to dispel the untruths and to put a human face on poverty.

Sunday, February 12, 11:30 a.m.
Roxanne Qualls, vice mayor of Cincinnati, and Kevin Finn, executive director of Strategies to End Homelessness, will lead a discussion on the problems of poverty and homelessness in Cincinnati, the strategies to overcome these problems, and how the cathedral can fit within this strategic framework to better address the needs.

Confirmation

Sundays, March 4, 11, 18 & 25, Forum Room

March 4 - Reading the Bible through eyes of faith and reason
March 11 - The Sacraments: 2+5
March 18 - The Book of Common Prayer: A Handyman's Guide to Holy Living
March 25 - Church History and Polity: From Henry VIII to Katharine Jefferts Schori

Refreshments will be provided for each class series.

Embracing the Prophets

"Embracing the Prophets in Contemporary Culture: Walter Brueggemann on Confronting Today's 'Pharaohs'," the third of the DVD series Embracing an Adult Faith by Church Publishing, will be released in January. It features Biblical scholar Walter Brueggemann in a presentation at Christ Church Cathedral.

Filmed in early June, the series includes discussion participants Prince Brown and Chris Williams, both cathedral members, as well as Canon Joanna Leiserson, who coordinates the cathedral's Christian Formation programs. Other participants were the Rev. Alice Connor, an Episcopal priest who heads the campus ministry under the auspices of the Lutheran Church at the University in Cincinnati; the Rev. Damon Lynch, Jr., pastor of the New Jerusalem Baptist Church; and Ariel Miller, executive director of Episcopal Community Services Foundation.

The DVD series consists of six sessions and is intended for small group discussions. The series will be offered as a Sunday Seminar series after its release.